Help! I've Fallen and I Can't Stop...

casting on. That's Koigu I've had forever.

But you see, I visited Anne's blog today after a short email from Jocelyn. Then I stopped by Kim's blog.

And you know? A gal can only withstand so much enabling.

Needles are ready, I'm off to find my millions of little white rubber stitch markers and I'll cast on the 242 stitches for the smallest shawlette.

Les Abeilles? The Bees. Today is my parent's anniversary. My dad was a beekeeper. It's the best (and only) reason I got.

Yes, my name is Knitnana and I'm addicted to lace. Hmm...wonder if I can get this one into the Seasons of Lace?

(In my defense? Last year I knit a gazillon socks. I figure this is just the antidote to that. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.)

More Lace!

I've been working a bit on my Seasons of Lace Summer of Lace entry, the Forever in Blue Jeans Brandywine, and last night I realized you hadn't seen The Meezer in a bit so I arranged the knitting on my big white chair and stepped back. It didn't take long:

And as soon as the shutter snapped, TM took the bamboos in her teeth as if to run off with them!

And I thought my only cat/knitting problem was The Tonk and his wool fetish? Nope. I'd forgotten how much The Meezer loves bamboo!

I've been so happy to have that mischief-maker take center-stage for the past few weeks, she's left me alone and that flash hasn't been going off in my eyes every few seconds! But now it's baa-ack! Sheeze...

She's so smug...

Lace!

Saturday was a fun day, as sis-in-law and I trekked to the town of Bedford about 35 minutes from here to spend the afternoon antiquing. We did stop at Yarn Theory which is a delightful shop, and one I'll return to soon (I ordered yarn, yes, but that's not the only reason I'll return!). What a visual feast the shop is, with so many samples of lace and felted bags, yarn galore (of course, that goes without saying) and lovely places to sit and knit and chat. Just fabulous!

But from there, we shopped at several of the antique shops in town. I was on a mission (successful, too) for a certain kind of container that I'll share later in July, if my plans pan out as I hope, but mostly it was to enjoy a day with almost no responsibilities except to have fun! We did that, too! We ended up having dinner at The Olde Liberty Station, and I totally splurged and had a burger and fries and probably the best coleslaw I've ever had! We were too full for dessert, but I hear they have yummy cheesecake.

Before we headed out on our day, I spent the morning in the floor blocking Ishbel:

The Tonk was extremely interested in the process and began his tutelage in blocking assistantship. That's such an involved process, and I have to remind myself that the little guy does have brain damage and retention isn't his strong suit. The Meezer was in the wings, but in this early stage, she added nothing to the instruction, probably laughing under her breath at his clumsiness and the fact that I was correcting him often...

Still we managed to get everything pinned out nicely (see that lace detail shot? Wow! I LOVE Ishbel!)

I discovered in the pinning process that the little guy, who cares absolutely nothing for catnip, becomes weak in the knees for wet wool! Who knew?

When I arrived home, I unpinned the shawl and draped her for the "money shot" - The Tonk was immediately on the scene, arranging himself artistically on top of the lace.

And one second after the shutter clicked? The lace was in his teeth! He BIT ISHBEL!
(and was soundly chastised and unceremoniously lifted up and dropped about 1 foot onto the floor with a loud "NO BITE!" (our code for keeping teeth inside the mouth!)

Ishbel is now neatly folded and stored in a drawer with my other shawls...Every speck of yarn in this house is corralled either in bins or plastic zip bags, to keep the wool from a certain kitty's inquisitive nose and destructive teeth.
(sigh)
As long as it takes the little guy to learn? I may be old and gray and still saying "NO BITE!"
(with a corresponding thump on his nose)

The details on Ishbel:
Pattern: Ishbel (Ravelry Link)
Needles: Size 6 Plymouth Bamboo circulars
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersocke in Augbergine (bought at Sock Summit 09, the first two skeins of the colorway!)
Time to Knit: Feb 1, 2010 to June 19, 2010 (and it could have been much sooner, but unfortunately, I don't stick with one project!)
Finished size: 68" wide by 35" deep - a perfect size for me.

Pattern notes: I LOVE this pattern. LOVE.IT. And working from the chart made my life so much happier. I started it with the written instructions and got so blasted messed up in my head. But either side of the chart is the mirror of the other, and if you can do that conversion in your head, it will go much faster. It took me about 3 minutes after I switched to the charts to figure that out. After that? Clear sailing! Whoohoo. The yarn is scrumptious (as The Tonk can attest) and I adore my Plymouth bamboos when I'm using dark yarns.

Because I didn't want The Tonk to feel too chastised and unappreciated, I pulled out the fake leopard throw I've been using at yoga practice during Savasana (Corpse Pose) and spread it out on the bedspread...
Ohh...a new blankie
I loves it, Mommie
(and not a spec of wool in the thing! HA!)

New Nana Sadie Rose Bags...

I've been busy this past week finishing up bags that were delivered today, so I can now share:
A couple of Mavis Knitting bags...

You've seen this fabric before, it's a popular one with gals who have my coloring and love cats! This customer loves vibrant colors so the lining is hot pink.

Her daughter is much the same tho' in another color range:

(Inside her Mavis is much Orange!)

And then a Vintage Trains Posy for another customer:

I love this fabric...takes me back to the days when train travel was much more prevalent - I do so wish we could bring that back!

Sis-in-law works very hard helping me with my business and this bag was fabric of her choosing...

In one of her favorite colors, a lovely spring green, tiny fruit (lemons, cherries, pears, and such) dot the intersections of the white trellis on this fabric. The lining is another of her preferences, a light lemony yellow. (There's a punch inside, tho' with a cherry red print and a mint green checkerboard!)

That's one of the prettiest, freshest combos I've done recently...Just makes you want to sigh!

So...stop by Nana Sadie Rose to order yourself an original creation, or stop by my Etsy Shop if you're really in the mood for instant gratification - the ready-mades are listed there!
(((hugs)))

A New Job for Cloths For Crisis, If You're Interested:

About 5 years ago, a bunch of us began knitting dishcloths and sending them to areas of the Gulf Coast that were hard hit by Hurricane Katrina and then Rita. When that crisis passed, we hung together in a yahoo group, and eventually became a group on Ravelry. Eventually most of us began knitting whatever was needed for our own communities and the projects the group focussed on ceased.

But today, I learned about Craft Hope's Project 8. 10 inch squares of cotton - knitted, crocheted, or sewn, these squares, combined with workers and Dawn dishwashing liquid are saving the lives of waterfoul birds encased in oil. You've seen them, I've seen them. It's one of the most overwhelmingly painful things I've seen in years. And it's one thing I wish I could assist with.

But when you've got all these responsibilities, it's hard to pack up and head to the Gulf. "Helpless" is a lousy feeling.

So... finally I can do something...10 inch squares: can you do some? I know I can.
In fact? I've already got one almost 1/2 way done, see?

Grandmother's Favorite on size 8 bamboos - Lion Kitchen Cotton I've had forever, bought on sale when Hancock's moved out...I have no need for the dark mossy green, but since it won't last long washing off a pelican, that's neither here nor there.

So join us if you can, the details are on the Craft Hope link up there.

In other news, I survived a very busy week, managed to get caught up completely on my bag orders (Whoohoo!) and even managed to finish these Wednesday night:

These are the Iris colorway by Serendipitous Ewe. I'm afraid I have to call it the Patrick Henry High School colorway.

Ok, school chums. I'm ready for the next get-together!

Getting Along...

Tonight was yoga night, and of course, it's Meatless Monday, as well, so I have an updated Recipe Post over on Nana Sadie's Place. Because it's yoga night, you know the recipe has to be fast, right?

Yesterday was a catch-up day, especially since the past three weekends have been clogged with activity. As a result, I had a ton of laundry to do, so I was up and down and up and down all day. I had a helper:

I'm a big helper, right Mommie? I watch you go down the stairs, and I watch you come back up...and then you do it again and again...it's exhausting

(You can't tell he's worn out, eh?)

But later on, I was actually sitting a few moments to chat with a friend, and looked up to see...

Hm. We're getting along, aren't we?

(That shot was difficult - the camera was across the room and I had to get up, go over and get it without waking him...that would have blown it)
:)
And please note he was still tuckered out from all his "helping..."

It's Been A WEEK?

I knew it had been awhile since I posted, but I was truly surprised to see my last post was last Saturday evening!

I won't say where did the time go, because I know. In addition to all that's required when you plan and execute a yard sale, I also had a fundraiser dinner on Tuesday evening, a Red Hat's dinner on Thursday evening, and we ate out again last evening because it was just easier than trying to make something while you're setting up the yard sale proper. Of course, I also had to work all week, and made a couple of runs to my business client's office for miscellaneous responsibilities, too. The week was so jammed that I didn't get to either of my yoga classes. I can only hope that running 6 ways to Sunday, up and down stairs, loading and unloading the car multiple times to take thing to my sis-in-law's for the sale we had today, and tugging and pulling, pushing and hefting, setting up and tearing down, count as activity points in Weight Watchers! Since I know that ironing counts, I think I'm okay...(especially since, in spite of having 1.5 Sangria Swirls on Tuesday night at Abuelo's, a glass of merlot and 1/2 a Berry Zabalione at Olive Garden on Thursday, and not paying any attention at all to intake last night at the local Hollywood's - it was a black bean quesadilla with mixed greens salad for the record) - the scale went down 1/2 a pound this morning, so I must be burning the extra stuff off!)

I also had to squeeze in a trip to the doctor, as lo and behold, I really have been fighting off an ear infection for the past week! One z-pack started, I'm beginning tonight to feel a little bit better...but the ads for today were already in the paper and on Craigslist, so we couldn't cancel today, as it was also "rain or shine!"

Tonight, after what I have to say was a moderately successful yard sale (I never do the huge sums that I hear some people rake in at their sales, but I don't usually have large items to sell, either), I managed to schlep less than a carload back home (the stuff I'll donate to my local Discovery Shop and a few things I decided to keep - plus display tables from dear friend Lynette - THANK YOU!). And post shower, post settling in...I took up needles that have been waiting patiently all week for me to complete the last row and cast off on Ishbel (Ravelry link):

I won't get a minute to block, I don't think, before next weekend...but here she is in unblocked, lace-glob state.

During the last bits of knitting her, a series of thunderstorms rolled in. They waited till after the local knit group finished their WWKIP day over in Salem and I expect they all made it home. The baseball game, however, that sis-in-law, niece and nephew-in-law attended was still probably going!

As the grumbling began, my fearful Siamese feline was quite apprehensive:

Was that thunder? I'd better run.

Someone else was completely unfazed...

Yeah, so what Meezer? Mommie will keep us safe.

I guess I've got him fooled, eh?

WWKIP! The Crooked Stitch

Lynette and I took a roadtrip today, which makes me very happy. We used to take road trips a lot till our respective health issues and businesses managed to get in the way (Lynette created Enchanted Forest Soaps, which is now owned by her DD and spent many years, as I have, working nights and weekends while doing a regular 8-5 job, too, creating her extra-special scents and churning out cakes of soap, my favorite of which is Lavender-Lemongrass, tho' she also has a coffee flavor I love). Lynette has retired (wish I could, sometimes!) and it allows her to be available on fairly short notice for these things.

However, this roadtrip we'd planned for. It was the first of two WWKIP (World Wide Knit in Public) events that mostly local yarn shops/groups have planned either for this weekend or next. I will be tied up with a family yardsale next weekend, so we wanted to make sure we participated today:

So we tripped on down 220 South to Rocky Mount, Virginia and The Crooked Stitch. There were quite a few of us on the lawn next to the shop not far from the Farmer's Market. I can't identify everyone, but that's Dani on the left in that shot up above...the photo I took of Whitney, owner of The Crooked Stitch, was nowhere to be found on my camera. What? Wonder what happened? I'm sorry Whitney...

Someone kindly took what I think is a really good photo of Lynette and me. These days, having good photos of fun times with old friends (and new ones, too) is more important than stash enhancement (I am stressing the "good" there - I take way too many photos that aren't good at all!).

But of course, there was a bit of stash enhancement, too:

That's Berroco Sox in Color 1432, fushia and deep purples, one that I don't have yet. Have I mentioned how much I love this sock yarn? It wears like iron - in fact, Dani and I had just this discussion after I purchased it and brought it outside! I've made several pairs of socks from this yarn. The colors are amazing, the striping makes me smile (come to think of it, it makes everyone smile and I love the comments I get when I wear these socks).

I also picked up lots of fat quarters of pretty fabrics for coordinating with bag fabrics - all in colors that I'm usually short of - yellow, orange and a touch of red. I also picked up two FQs just for me - in a vintage-y muted grape. I adore fabrics in this shade and don't find it often. And I just realized I didn't photo it.

I shopped the farmer's market (surprising both my boss and myself by running into her on her turf! She lives way out in the country and shops there often, while I'm more than 30 minutes away and don't go that way much). There were wonderful green beans, white potatoes and summer squash I chose for a special veggie dinner tonight.

We had to come back a little earlier than anyone else, because I had a 2 hour restorative yoga class this afternoon, but we stopped at Edible Vibe Cafe in Rocky Mount for lunch before we came back. This was lunch:

It's Eddy's Bruschetta. Now I pretty sure that Eddy is the chef. I can't check that out, because their website is under construction. But I can tell you this - it was totally divine. We'll go back. I'll have this again (because once I latch onto something this good? I don't let go).

A huge thunderstorm hit while we were eating, and we finally had to race and dodge the raindrops to get in the car to come home. Once here? I discovered that my whole area looked like it had been bombed with trees down all over - and no power. My plan for my veggie dinner from the Farmer's Market was dashed.

I took off for my yoga class and when I returned? Still no power. It's finally back on, tho' I had a cold dinner tonight (that's not so awful when it's summer, but boy was my mouth set and ready for that produce - oh well, tomorrow!)

The Tonk Is Back In The House

The Tonk has been at the vet the past few days, being evaluated and having a certain stuff done. 'Nuf said?

The consensus is that he has suffered a head injury in his past - such is the life of a rescue, the possibility always exists that you are getting one that was abused and tossed out. He will always have his head tilt, but thankfully, it seems that's the worst of it, besides not being able to learn stuff, at least not very quickly (he's smart, but retention isn't his strong suit - thankfully his mom, or someone, taught him litterbox manners and for that I'm grateful). His circling behavior is the remains of the injury, too, and when he's stressed, he will probably always do his circling dance (we can live with it).

I visited every day, which might not have been the smartest thing to do. He was totally stressed and freaked whenever he saw me, desperate to go home. Last night, it was all I could do not to break down and agree...but I didn't.

Today he came home. His physical condition, otherwise, is great! And all the girls at the vet (including the "head gal," his doc) are quite smitten with him (the smooth little devil). I was told often that he was a "silly boy" which happens to be one of my pet names for him.

All the way home, I was treated to a loud and insistent vocalization of every single solitary ILL (both real and imagined) that was bestowed upon him over the three days.

I do mean LOUD.

When I got him home, he was sequestered in his den again, as he needs a bit of recovery time before venturing into the rest of the space. I heard about that, too. And I especially heard...

I'm HOME!!! I'm HOME, did you hear me MOMMIE??? I'm HOME and I'm NEVER leaving again, you hear?

Yes, dear, I hear you, and that's fine...(shhhh...until it's time for his shots again next year, that is).

Finally, I broke out a treat I've been saving for this day...

OHhhh...a MOUSIE (in fact, it is a needlefelted alpaca mousie from Sedalia Fiber Festival...)

It's MY Mousie, Mommie, I'm not sharing

I left the room while he played and of course when I returned there was no sign of the mousie, so I'm not sure where it is...

This little guy is a lover, let me tell you, he spent much time up and down onto the desk, into my lap, back up again, across the laptop, stretching out on the desk to have raspberries blown on his belly, and finally dropping to the floor as I continued to type. But after a bit I noticed he was going...going...

and finally ... gone.

Welcome home, silly boy. We missed you much.

Indian Food & Knitting...

It's been a week, already and it's only Wednesday, but I wanted to share quickly the enjoyable evening I've had. Several of us from the Roanoke Valley Knitters and Spinners have been discussing meeting for dinner at a local Indian restaurant. (I've been trying to find someone in my circle of pals to enjoy this with, but most don't "care for curry" - that's the standard reply)

Tonight we met up and had a blast:
Only four of us there, Babs and Lynette are blogless, but Sandy is the VPI Dye-r.

But after we'd ordered Christina appeared (she lost track of time in her garden and today was one of those days that I could see that happening so easily - just gorgeous weather!)

So there were 5 of us. We met at 6 and broke up just shy of 10!

I'd say that was a successful evening, but it's late and I've got to go to work in the a.m.

'Night!

Sunday Night!

This has been a lazy day because I needed a recovery day. After the 5K yesterday I scurried home and a brand new mattress and box springs was delivered. That meant the bed was also dressed, and then after a shower I fell into it. I snoozed a little in the afternoon, then had a "lost" evening (lost b/c I can't remember what I did!), and then my first real sleep on it. I think it's going to be really nice when I finally adjust to it!

In addition to a bit of knitting with friend Lynette this afternoon, a Freecycle pickup occurred. I've had a Health Rider sitting in my bedroom, totally unused, forever. That space has been calling me to become my "yoga studio" for a couple of months. So when someone asked for exercise equipment on my local Freecycle, I jumped, saying, "if you can get it out of my second floor bedroom, it's yours!"

So they came today and carted it off. Much like the delivery of the bed yesterday, it was a challenge negotiating the stairs. This place is packed tightly and no one ever believes me when I say, "you need to move the bookcases of fabrics" that are at the bottom of the stairs in the sewing room. No one. But when they leave? Most of them say, "hmm..that would have been easier if we had moved the bookcases..."

Get ready, I'm tired. What's about to happen here is a total stream-of-conciousness thing:

Knitting? Well, I did finish this last night (Oh! This is what I did last night, now I remember):

The second ballband dishcloth. Not all of it is from stash, I had the lavender, but not the variegated that went with it...couldn't pass up that aqua...

And I think I forgot to post this as a new addition to my knitting library, an ebay purchase a few weeks ago:


I have another training again this week (and another next week), both of them webinars, so I had to have a plain vanilla sock on the needles:

That's the Serendipitous Ewe Iris colorway I bought at Sedalia a couple of weeks ago. I figured I'd better get these high school colors knit up, because you never know when the 1974 graduating class "gang" will get together again! I must have socks in the school colors!
*wink*

I had to get groceries this evening, so when I went out to Kroger, I stopped at B&N. You know I had to pick this up when I saw it, espcially since there are some really nice patterns - a switch, because I don't usually care for Vogue Knittings offerings:

There are several patterns I want to knit, not just the cover (which, oddly enough, is in my favorite color). There's a cabled vest I love, too (#22, tho' you won't see ME in the yellow version), and there's also a green cabled cardi (which I won't do in green - #19) and a pale pink (#4 - love the color!) v-neck peplum sweater that I'd wear to the symphony...I like ALL of the "Purl Gray" sweaters, but of course, they're all gray (love the wordplay on Earl Gray tea...hmm, think I'll go make a cup!), so you know, it could just be the color...

What's with this "Early Fall" edition? Will that mean they'll have one in "late fall?" An "Early Winter?" Is this anything like the summer sales in the stores long before the Summer Solstice (does anyone call it by it's rightful name - Litha - anymore)? Am I showing my age and impatience with marketing? (heheheh)

It was not enough to put a new sock on the needles, you know. NO, of course not. I had to start new lace, too:

Three tries later, I think I've a keeper here. I discovered that Lynette doesn't like lace charts! That surprises me. She says she's a word person (I thought that was me?), but as a computer techie, I always thought of her as more logical and mathematical. I started Rosemary's Brandywine (Ravelry Link) in Kim's Kashmir, colorway Forever in Blue Jeans by using the written instructions and kept getting totally screwed up. The third time, I said, "Sallee, YOU'RE happier with charts, put the words away and rely on the patterns portion of your brain, please" and that worked like a charm...

and now I've got Neal Diamond stuck in my head...

But that's okay. I LOVE that song. "Money talks, but it can't sing and dance and it can't walk...I'd like to be forever in blue jeans!"

And I guess that really does make me as old as I sound like I am, eh?
(sorry for the earworm if you don't like Neil Diamond...)

What Do All These People Have In Common?

We all meet every Tuesday evening after work...we all are members of the best* Weight Watchers group in the world...we all are about to embark on a huge task: A 5K - and for a lot of us it was our very first one...

Here I am at the half-way point. If I look a tad stressed? It's because it's HOT and HUMID. But we were smart...we took our time, we took 3 breaks to stretch along the way. (Otherwise, one of us would probably have had shin splints, the other - me - would have been hobbled by her back and in bed for a week!)

We might have come in dead last, but we finished. There was no race, no competition at all, and the three of us in the rear were totally not sure we could do it, as we never had before. And while we trained (sorta, kinda, well, not so much), we knew we could have trained better and harder and longer...but...

Last we were. And when we got to the finish line? Look who we found:

Everyone was waiting for us. Not a one left before we got there. They were all cheering us on to the finish line! This is one of the most supportive groups I've ever been a part of. (I love each and every one of you...)

Our biggest fan, our loudest cheerleader, our role model & chief instigator (who just completed her very first Triathalon!) is our beloved leader, Meghan. (She's that lithe young thing kneeling down in front of us, isn't she a doll?)

Weight Watchers. It's not a diet. It's a Lifetime commitment...and the best fun I've ever had.
:)
Thanks ya'll!
(We're talking about doing it again in the fall, when the temperatures are a tad bit cooler ... it was HOT out there, did I mention?)
lololol

* "best" is JMHO, ya'll! I know there are other WW groups out there that are just as terrific! And I'll bet, if you're interested, there's one near you.